Conceived and hosted by columnist, writer and presenter Jackie Adedeji, the brand new series features up-close interviews with emerging and established UK Black creatives in the media industry and TV landscape- sharing insight, anecdotes, and guaranteed laughs. Named after the iconic James Brown song “Say it Loud, I’m Black & I’m Proud’’, the podcast seeks to subvert the conversation around racial trauma in the TV industry by delving beyond the headlines and unapologetically celebrating all things Black and British: the culture we shape, that we represent, that we create in this country. The bi-weekly podcast is now playing on The Festival’s YouTube channel, and available to download and listen on Acast, Spotify and iTunes platforms.
Launching the first episode with the acclaimed content creating trio behind online platform Wall of Comedy, newly rebranded to Wall of Entertainment – Percelle Ascott, Joivan Wade and Tafara Makopa, discuss their journey from YouTube to social media and TV, their influences, and honest thoughts on the UK’s creative industries. With a locked first-look development deal with British broadcaster E4, the team have paved the way for online comedy content in the UK with hit formats including: Questions with Yung Filly, Group Chat, Who’s Got Game and with latest additions including Tye Logan’s Grub Roulette, Move to Me and Does the Shoe Fit. The trio also most recently produced the emotional short film Joy, for charity Key4Life with the support of Universal Music UK, following on from executive producing 2018’s acclaimed three-part YouTube drama Shiro’s Story which Ascott and Wade starred in. Since its debut in 2015, the Wall of Entertainment platform across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube generates content resulting in over 3.6 billion views annually.
Joivan Wade, Percelle Ascott and Tafara Makopa,
With future guests confirmed including stand-up comedian, writer and presenter Dane Baptiste, the series will offer fresh insight and buzz on the entertainment industries from the perspectives of UK’s Black creatives, behind and in front of the camera.
“I can’t believe The TV Foundation and Edinburgh TV Festival have let me run riot with a show where I get to talk to my favourite television black talent about their lives, and have fun around it. I have always wanted to hear a podcast that celebrates black culture, and the joy that surrounds it, and finally I get to navigate that conversation not just for me, but for everyone. It’s fun, it’s comedy, it’s unpredictable and it’s all things telly. It’s a great cocktail of what I like to call Black excellence, and if you don’t know what that is? you’re about to find out!”
Jackie Adedeji